Perpetrator
by Birdcage Blues
Summary: A retelling of Fruits Basket through Shigure's eyes: He wants Akito, it is a fact, a way of life, and he is willing to do anything to get his way. Manga-verse. Spoilers. Canon, but showing dark!Shigure. Canon relationships.
1. Chapter 1

Jealousy. It consumes every waking moment, every breath, every heartbeat. And right now as she stands with Kureno, looking lonely and out of place in the large room, desperately holding onto a bond that cracks under the weight of her fear... yes, right now Shigure is angry.

"Gure, tell my adorable little brother he should be more loving," comes the loud, carefree voice of his best friend right before slender hands land on his shoulders.

He turns with a broad smile, "don't worry my darling Aya, I have enough love for us both," the declaration is casual, the same as it always is with Ayame, just something to make others uncomfortable. Taboo.

Even as they hold hands and stare into each other's eyes his attention is on Akito and the barely held back hurt-anger he can see clearly visible on her face as she looks at him. Most of the others believe she is male, but even if he was too young to remember the feelings he had on the day she was conceived, even if he did not remember the knowledge he had of her that day, he would know. There is something fundamentally different between a male and a female's view of the world and that is something Ren could never eradicate from her daughter's actions.

Ren. Beautiful, bothersome Ren. Maybe it had been a mistake to sleep with her in retaliation for the closeness of Akito and Kureno, but he has made the choice and he will live with it. If he cannot have Akito, let her realise she cannot have him, not all of him.

Ren had been... well, it had been fun. Age gaps had never bothered him and she really was very beautiful, even if her hatred of Akito made him want to destroy her from the inside out. He had quelled the urge, naturally.

He had practice with such things, Hatori had taught him restraint over the years, and caring. Theirs was a friendship he had learned much from. Ayame was fun, a playmate and a partner in crime, but Hatori was their conscience.

"You're disgusting," Yuki says in response to his and Ayame's display, catching Shigure's attention again as he walks over, always keeping them between him and Akito as if he doesn't even realise he is doing it. "You're both disgusting." The words are a little too cold, but to Shigure's knowledge Yuki has never known kindness outside of Hatsuharu's blundering presence and Sigure's own fake sincerity, so there is no surprise there.

His response is to grin at his cousin and grab him tightly. He knows it irritates and he knows he is loved anyway. No one can dislike the dog, the ever loving, ever loyal dog, they are helpless against him. "Don't worry, I won't forget my dear little Yuki, I love you too." The flirting is automatic, safe, normal in this personality he has constructed for himself. It makes him slightly nauseous, the nicely, nicely of it.

The irritated face has turned blank. "I don't need it." Oh but he does, after the years in that room he does, Shigure knows. He almost even cares.

Yuki gives him up as a lost cause and stalks off to seek some Zodiac members closer to his age, giving Akito a wide berth as he does so, afraid, always so afraid. Shigure supposes he has a reason, what with the mental torture that inevitably happened in that dark, lonely room. Ayame grows bored as well and wanders off to speak to Ritsu, his disciple. Since they are likely to talk about dresses, with massive amounts of apologising from Ritsu, Shigure decides not to follow. Instead he leans back against the door frame and watches his family, content to be on the outside for now.

"It is unusual to see you here nowadays." Hatori, prim and proper as always. Suit, tie, politeness oozing from every pore, even as he strides towards his best friend.

"Hmm." He has not been back since Akito kicked him out. There were the perks of sleeping with her mother, and then there were the consequences. At the moment the consequences suit him just fine, being back 'inside', watching Kureno stand beside Akito and not him, that's painful. "I'm very busy with my writing." He keeps things cheerful, face light and open. Even with the anger it is easy.

"Still making that editor cry?" It is small talk, Hatori doesn't really care about her, Shigure knows.

But he is good at small talk, so he complies and answers. "Mit-chan is very emotional."

"She's at your house waiting for you to finish your novel right now, isn't she?"

Shigure laughs. Hatori really does know him too well. "It's fine, she's fine," he says, though for all he knows one of these days she will actually commit suicide. That might not be so funny, especially if the police blame him.

There is a brief pause, a comfortable silence. Well, it is comfortable for Shigure, maybe Hatori doesn't find it quite so as he breaks it pretty soon.

"Are you going home after this?"

"Unless Hatori wants to give me a check up." The wink doesn't even make Hatori flinch, he is used to it. It is habit now, to act like this, especially in front of Akito. To see the hurt, the pain. Shigure loves it a little, hates it too, but he cannot stop.

Even now he sends his gaze towards her, to catch the stare levelled his way. Akito breaks it. She can't stand the smirk Shigure makes sure is plastered all over his face.

Everyone is around him, playing their parts as members of the Zodiac, and here he is subverting it. The curse is getting weaker and weaker, he can feel it. Whether or not Kureno is still a member of the Zodiac is a question that hasn't yet been asked or answered, but Shigure suspects, with the possessive closeness Akito is keeping him, that he is already 'free'.

Free. It is laughable. If the reason Akito keeps Kureno so close is because his curse has already fallen apart then she has shot herself in the foot. She can claw to pull it all back together all she likes, but it is only a matter of time. Less time, if Shigure has anything to say about it.

Then he will have Akito to himself.

It is the mantra that repeats itself in his head day in, day out. When the curse breaks Akito will be his. And it will break, why else would all members of the Zodiac be born at once?

Hatori is studying him, pensive, stoic as always. Lonely, depressed, angry too, Shigure sees right through to the core, he knows Hatori too well.

"What Tori, you really want to give me a check up?"

"Shigure."

Right. Head back into the game, smile back onto his face. Air of unconcerned nonchalance in the face of Kureno, in the face of Akito's unhappiness. "Sorry, I spaced out." He lets himself grin, sheepish, like a dog caught doing something it shouldn't.

Hatori sighs. Hatori who seems so grown up, but doesn't know a thing, so unhappy.

"I asked how Yuki is doing."

Living all alone with Shigure. "It's fine, fine," Shigure waves away the concern. "A little messy, but we're doing okay."

When he looks over to Yuki he sees the Zodiac rat sitting with Hatsuharu, Rin and Momiji, quiet as the others talk amongst themselves. Rin looks pale, sickly, and she is quiet too. In reality it is Momiji who is carrying most of the conversation. Strong little Momiji. Not strong enough. Weak and breaking under the pressure, trying too hard. Unhappy. Won't let Hatori erase his memory to ease the pain of a mother who abandoned him, screaming her puny little heart out.

Shigure blinks. Huffs a soft sigh. Focuses again on Hatori.

"You should hire a cleaner."

He has his attention back in time to catch what is said this time and replies promptly. "I'm working on it."

He should also find someone to break the curse for him, he is working on that too.

* * *

Is this fandom still active?

This is my first Fruits Basket fanfic, so let me know what you thought! Written and uploaded from my kindle, so please point out any mistakes. :)


	2. Chapter 2

He knows straight away that he has found her. She has a gentle, curious air to her, but there is also something more, something strong. She is a dog after all.

It helps that she is cute, all mousey brown hair and liquid eyes. An innocent little girl with just enough knowledge of pain in that stare to understand. All this he can tell; the way she speaks of her mother in the past tense with a kind of lonely love; the way she apologises for intruding, but isn't afraid to stay; the way she is curious about the Zodiac ornaments and knowledgeable about the cat.

When she tells him the tale, about how she cried when the cat missed the banquet and how she decided she would become a cat and renounce the dog. That's when he starts to get closer, when he starts to imagine a world without the curse. A world where Akito is his and his alone.

Until Yuki ruins it. "You look more like a paedophile like this." Note to self: never agree to let the rat stay in his house again, his bag against the back of Shigure's head feels like it has a few bricks in it. A fact Yuki almost confirms. Two books. Heavy books. "Are you alright, Miss Honda?"

Ah, so his quiet little cousin knows her. That just makes things all the more perfect, even as she stutters and stammers at him, flustered.

"So, you are actually Yuki's classmate?" He asks and without waiting for a reply: "I'm Shigure Sohma, his cousin." All smiles and friendly, friendly. No one can resist his charm. Not at first, at least.

She collects herself together and bows, all nice and polite. "Nice to meet you, I'm Tohru Honda." Somehow her friendly, friendly comes out more genuine, probably because she means it.

"Why are you here, Miss Honda?" Poor confused Yuki. It's destiny, of course.

"Oh, I..." She pauses, goes beet red all the way to the tips of her ears, "I live nearby."

Nearby? He probably said that out loud, he is too shocked to filter. All of the surrounding land is Sohma property so how can she live nearby? It has the taste of a lie to it, but no need to press her, if she's the one he needs to break the curse then she's here for a reason and she's lying for a reason too. Probably.

All he has to do is nudge her and Yuki towards becoming friends. Walking to school together would be a start, so he waves them off with one careless hand while the other is hidden behind his back, fingers tightly crossed.

And she is the one he is looking for.

He knows because the next time they meet her she is emerging from a tent. Pitched on Sohma land no less. It is too much and he can't help but laugh. The guys back at the Sohma estate would be horrified, he can just imagine Akito's face, Ren's face, the head maid's face. He is annoying Yuki he knows, he can see it on his face and hear out in his voice. He doesn't really care, it's just too funny, too perfect. She obviously doesn't have a place to go, maybe he should convince Akito... yes, that's a very good idea, he should convince Akito to let her stay. Maybe she can clean, cook? He'll have to ask. Not having to eat takeaways every night would be a bonus. He misses home cooked meals, Yuki is a disaster zone in the kitchen, he found that out very soon.

But he's running ahead of the game here. She's still standing blearly in front of her tent and he is still laughing.

"Why don't you come back to the house... Miss Honda, was it?"

Flustered, dazed. Tired and run down. She is all of it and she agrees because how couldn't she? She is completely at their mercy. A younger Shigure might have had some fun with that, but not now. Not when Yuki is here and he has a job in mind for her, all lined up, if he plays his cards right. Maybe even if he doesn't, she seems naive enough to do anything you ask with no second thoughts and no regard for her own safety.

This is too good.

Back at the house he's laughing again. A tent. In the middle of a Sohma estate. Oh this is priceless, Ayame will love it.

She's pleading with them. "Please... let me stay here a while?" Promises to leave as soon as she can, she'll pay, she'll...

"It's dangerous there," he says, trying to pull himself together. Drag that concerned mask over his face. "The ground is loose and there are perverts wandering around." Part of him marvels when Yuki doesn't make some offhand comment about him being the only pervert around here. "A girl can't live in a tent for that long." He thinks he makes a sound argument. Even Yuki can't argue with him. Achievement unlocked: Responsible adult!

The girl is standing up and making some declaration of independence, eyes gleaming, fist waving around... but it falls short of its intended glory when she sinks to the floor.

Yuki is flitting over to her in an instant, all gentle hands and real concern. A fever. "Ice... Ice..." Shigure muses as he stops in the doorway to the kitchen, "ah, where is it?" It looks like a pigsty, the girl, Tohru, comments as much, eyes still glazed from the fever.

Everything is coming together perfectly. It's not like she can go back to her tent like this, and she certainly hasn't got anywhere else to go. He stops short of rubbing his hands together in glee. It might not do to look too happy.

"Aaaowoooo."

His ears prick up and he can almost feel his inner dog stirring at the sound of the warning howl. Before he thinks about it he's speaking, warning them of the landslide. He only realises his mistake when Tohru stammers out the question that would be on most normal people's minds: "How do you know?"

How _would_ he know? His mind flails for a second. "This is called wildlife ability." _Don't call me out on that. Don't call me out on that._ It is a mantra that runs through his head even as Yuki rescues him, treats it like nothing, ordinary, though nothing about it is.

It's just a cruel, beautiful strike of fortune that it happens right on top of her tent.

After they've visited the tent and watched Tohru have a mini meltdown over her mother's photograph Shigure herds both her and Yuki back to the house. As Yuki finds the ice Tohru tells him about her mother, about why she feels so guilty. It's fascinating how people cope with these things, really. Holding onto that picture like her mother is still there, watching over her. He hopes he sounds more sympathetic than he feels. Really, he should grow a soul. This is depressing stuff.

At least Yuki is affected. He even uses the curse to gather an army of rats to help him dig out her stuff. Ahh, young love.

* * *

Since this whole chapter covers scenes from the manga I glossed over a fair bit. I will be adding in lots of extra Shigure scenes if I continue writing this.

Let me know what you think of dark!Shigure, or just... my head-canon Shigure. ;)


	3. Chapter 3

It is Yuki that comes to him. Knocking on his door with a tentative hand as if something will fly out of Shigure's room and bite him. It just might be a valid concern. Books are piled high; pens, paper, clothes, old dishes and dirty socks. Shigure trips over an anonymous object as he makes his way to the door, half asleep although it's only one in the morning.

"Darling Yuki, what can I do for you?" Is the inane thing that chooses to come out of his mouth. He grins as he surreptitiously rubs his toe. Said anonymous object was a painful thing to walk into with socked feet.

"Miss Honda…" Yuki pauses, eyes ghosting off to stare at the wall instead of Shigure's face, he still is not accustomed to being allowed to ask for things. Even though he went through all that trouble to dig her things out of the rubble. He is still covered in mud, hair sticking up in every direction, a few tears in his clothes. They would need to be thrown away.

Shigure sighs. Tries to act put upon. "She's got nowhere to go. Such a sad tale of woe-"

"Can she stay here? We have a spare bedroom and I don't think she'd be any trouble. I know with the curse its-"

Shigure waves a hand in the air to stall him, pretending he has to think about it. To consider. He doesn't think he cuts in too quick, too eager with his reply. "Well, as long as we don't hug her it should be fine. No girl should have to… live in a tent." He stifles the giggles that envelope him again. "Really Yuki, you have the most amusing friends."

Not that Yuki has any friends, as far as he can tell. But that is probably more to do with the curse and being locked in a lonely room for years than anything else. Nobody liked the rat anyway, not instinctively like they did the dog.

"So," Yuki looks like he doesn't know what to do now he has what he wants, "she can stay?" And that imploring, hopeful look might have warmed his heart, if he cared much for Yuki's love and affection.

"I'll have to talk to Akito first." He says it more for the reaction than anything else. The immediate pallor that takes all of the colour out of Yuki's face is well worth the effort.

"Please," he says, just short of getting on his knees and begging for real, "please, don't tell Akito. I don't want Miss Honda caught up in all of this. I don't want…"

 _Hatori to erase her memories._

Shigure's choking up. Apart from the part where he isn't. "You know I have have to." He goes for gentle and has no idea whether he manages it or not. "Don't worry, I'll mention it's only temporary. No need to bother Ha'ri for something so short-lived. Just don't hug her."

 _Don't cause trouble. Not yet. Not when I'm not sure if she can handle it…_

Yuki is quiet again, a shy little presence that seems to take up as little space as possible, the complete opposite of his brother. "Thank you," and as heartfelt as it is Shigure might as well be handing him the keys to freedom. Oh wait. That's what he's trying to do. "I promise it won't be any trouble for you."

"Ahh, what's the trouble? I have a beautiful girl staying in my house." He hums a jaunty little tune with the words 'high school girls' heavily implied throughout.

Cold grey eyes, a flash of temper. "You're a pervert."

"You wound me, cousin. All I want to do is appreciate the finer points of a womanly-"

Even a half-hearted punch hurts when Yuki delivers it. One wouldn't imagine a bite so big from a body so small, but it's there and it's encouraging because the Yuki from two months ago wouldn't have said boo to a five year old child for fear of repercussions. Shigure watches him as he leaves, storming off in a huff, and already he can see a little more life behind the mask that is 'Yuki Sohma'.

"Hm, you're getting used to this house, little mouse." He muses, leaning against the doorframe, fanning himself even though it's not hot enough to warrant it.

He's never particularly cared for the feelings of others, bar times when those feelings have directly affected himself, but looking after Yuki has stirred some kind of paternal instinct in him. He's sure he wouldn't have felt quite so proud of the backbone his cousin is growing before he opened his house to all and sundry.

Never mind. His book is calling to him and it won't write itself.

* * *

The girl – Tohru – is objecting. She's just going to walk away from their kind, no strings attached offer. He can see it in her stance, hear it in her voice. He won't let it happen. He refuses.

"Tohru, do you like house chores?" He doesn't even laugh when she jumps out of her skin at the sound of his voice, just carries on with the casual, relaxed, normal-Shigure. "For example, cooking and cleaning… that kind of thing." He has a sneaking suspicion she's a bit too dense to understand him if he doesn't elaborate. Especially right now, flustered as she is.

Okay, so he is a little over-exaggeratedly happy when she says yes, but come on, she needs to stay. He hasn't been playing nice, handsome stranger for nothing here. So he welcomes her to the family and steamrollers over all of her protests.

It's Yuki that puts her at ease though. Yuki who lies blatantly. 'Be at ease in this family,' indeed.

Just to remind Yuki Shigure sidles up to him, "Can we live with a girl? She is a girl." 'Don't hug her' he leaves unsaid, they did that to death last night.

But Yuki has to say it one more time. "Nothing to worry about, as long as we don't get hugged by her."

* * *

Another scene that isn't in the manga. Hopefully these new scenes will end up being about 50% of this story with the other (manga) half concentrating on the thoughts behind Shigure's mask so too much parroting shouldn't happen. Let me know if there's too much of the original creeping in.


	4. Chapter 4

The crash could be any one of the Zodiac really, even quiet Kisa will break things now and again, but it's his famed 'wildlife ability' that has him suspecting Kyo.

There's just a quality to the air that changes everything in the cats presence. Maybe it's the curse, maybe it's just the tale of a cat and a dog. Either way he tries to ignore it. Kyo isn't here for his benefit. Shigure isn't broken like the others, he doesn't need a scapegoat to look down on and that's what the cat is, in truth. Just someone to remind the others that things could be worse. The funny thing is no one realises it.

The rumour is that Kyo has been in the mountains, training. If that is true then there is only one thing he is here for and fighting Yuki with Tohru in the house might get dangerous. Shigure sighs and heads over to break things up.

"Yuki, what was that loud noise? Kyo's here?"

 _Crap. Crapcrapcrap._

There's silence for a little too long before his mouth is moving, spewing words. "Why is there a cat?" The awkward chuckle probably doesn't help matters. Why _is_ there a cat? Surely she can't have hugged Kyo already? Surely Kyo wouldn't have _let_ her?

Tohru is freaking out, which is predictable. What isn't predictable is exactly _how_ she is freaking out. She thinks it is her fault. Shigure can feel himself getting a headache already. Is this ready a good idea? Of course it is, breaking the curse isn't going to be easy, after all. If she can't handle this then…

Then Hatori can erase her memories. No harm done. Except possibly to Yuki.

It is a surprise when the falling timber hits Tohru. A surprise when she faints into them. A surprise when it counts as a hug and they all tumble down in a heap of bodies.

Smells and sounds hit Shigure like a shot of whiskey. It is always disorientating, the transformation; he doesn't do it enough to get used to it. In fact, he can count on two hands the amount of times he has changed in his life and it has never been in this kind of situation. A few times in school, yes. With Hatori right there, on hand to pick up the pieces, erase memories, slap Shigure round the head and call him an idiot.

Hatori is not here right now and there is a brief moment of panic when he realises this was never part of his plan. He likes being the dog. He takes advantage of it at every opportunity. He flaunts it. But he hates the change. The heavy fur, the tantalising scents, the ache in his muscles and his bones. It doesn't feel _right_. It's frightening.

It is almost relieving when the pizza comes, even though Tohru shoves them into the poor delivery guy's face. "They're all _animals_!"

It is a stroke of luck that the delivery boy, Matsuda, is only amused, not shocked. Of course he hadn't seen them change in front of his very eyes. "Ah, yes they are." This is definitely _not_ the weirdest thing he has ever walked in on. It's not even the weirdest thing he's ever walked in on at Shigure's house. That would probably be reserved for Ayame in drag, dancing the tango with a very drunk, but still extremely reluctant Hatori. Shigure still has the video of that lying around somewhere… He probably shouldn't tell the kids about it. Probably.

Matsuda is asking for the money and Shigure has to wriggle out of Tohru's death grip so that he can get his wallet because of course _she_ doesn't know where it is.

"What a clever dog." Never had a sentence felt so demeaning. Actually, thinking about it, that was a lie, he'd had a lot worse than that from Hatori back in the day.

The door is barely closed before Yuki and Kyo are having a go at each other. Realising Tohru is probably scarred for life, or at least until Hatori gets his paws on her, Shigure gives up.

He barks to get everyone's attention, and then, with as much 'responsible adult' as he can muster, he sighs. "There's no other way. Instead of trying to cover it up…" because right now that is useless. They would have to knock Tohru out until Hatori could make his way over from the main house, and with the way she kept bouncing back from her little fainting spells they would be likely to give her brain damage long before any actual memories could be erased. And he still doesn't want to. He is convinced she is the person he has been waiting for. Everything is too coincidental for anything else. "…Why don't we tell her? In other words," he continues before any objections can be made, "I'm the dog. Yuki's the rat. And he, Sohma Kyo, is the cat." He explains to her about the Zodiac in as simple terms as he can think of and watches her face go from terrified to surprised to curious.

Until they conveniently change back to their human forms just as he's warning her about their 'predicament'. He scratches the back of his head because what else can he do when he's completely naked and standing in front of a teenage girl? Things are way past awkward.

A few minutes later, once they are all dressed once more, he apologises. Then teases her about the Zodiac cat, which she doesn't even realise, oblivious as she is. Kyo is much easier to rile up and he delights in it.

Until domestics ensue between Yuki and Kyo once more and he just wishes he had a quiet life again. Thankfully their fight is over as quickly as ever and Tohru realises just how late she and Yuki are for school.

Just before she can run off, dirty uniform and all, Shigure stops her. "But," he says, eyes serious for once, "I have to report to Akito, the current head of the Sohma family, about this." Beside him he feels Yuki tense. "Because someone knows Sohma family's biggest secret." Tohru doesn't notice, just smiles, says Akito must be 'an interesting person' and goes on her way.

"I was wondering why you would just tell her about us," Yuki says, clutching his arms around him, "you plan to seal her memory don't you? Just like before."

"That's not what I have in mind." Not at all.

But of course Yuki doesn't realise that.

* * *

You guys don't mind the short chapters right? It's kind of how the Furuba story is. I can make the chapters longer if you like, though the updates will be slower if I do. Let me know.

Thank you for all the awesome reviews. I've been away for a while so I haven't answered them, but I want you to know they are really appreciated. :)


	5. Chapter 5

It feels weird to step inside the main house again so soon after his last visit, but this is something he must do. Akito wouldn't take it well if he let Tohru stay in his house, knowing the big Sohma secret, without first discussing it with her. Well... persuading her. She never could say 'no' to him after all.

He hums a jaunty time as he strides along to convince himself the faint nervousness he's feeling isn't real. Nothing makes Shigure Sohma nervous. Not missing deadlines, not getting drunk underage in the back bars of Tokyo, not running from the police with Ayame in tow while Hatori calls him an idiot for the millionth time. Talking to Akito will never worry him. He's not like the others, he's not frightened of her, she could never hurt him.

"Shigure," comes the less than polite tone of the head housekeeper, Nakura Sohma, "how pleasant to see you home. Would you be here to see Akito," her eyes turn sharp, "or Ren?"

There is only one answer to that if he wants to get anywhere, luckily it's the right one. Nakura and Ren have a certain... loathing for one another; if he was here to play heartbreaker again he would not be getting very far.

"Ah, I'm here to see my beautiful Akito today," he says with a smile. His charm has never worked on this 'lady', but it is his choice of weapon even so.

She scoffs, and turns on her heel, pausing only to say, "Akito is in the garden," as she leaves on some errand of fake import; indoor shoes making barely a sound as she strides off.

"It was as lovely to see you as ever, Miss Nakura," he says with a false cheer loud enough for her to hear the sarcasm shackled just behind it. There is an itch right under his skin that makes him want to scream at her. There always is.

Ignoring it is the safest bet. Once, when he was still a child, before Akito was born, he had screamed and screamed and screamed at her. He can't even recall why, only that Ayame had been crying and he had been angry; so, so angry. Shigure narrows his eyes, remembering it never fails to shift his mood. It isn't only Hatsuharu that has a black mode, not in this family. But Nakura has always pushed his buttons, and he is used to it. It is no different now than it was back then, only he has grown up and she has not.

He doesn't scream anymore, he just smiles.

He does so now to get rid of the irritating cloud that hangs over him. If he speaks to Akito in this frame of mind he will only stir things up, though he's likely to do that anyway. Still, as he turns towards Akito's personal garden he is humming again. Not because of any kind of nerves, but because of the little kid inside him that wants to tear this house down to the ground in a fit of fury. He really should avoid Nakura at all costs.

It isn't a long walk, just confusing. So many twists and turns before the garden opens up before him, beautiful and depressing all at once. The neat, tranquil place does not suit his Akito at all, everything is impossibly perfect. Only the best of formal, manicured beauty for the head of the Sohma family. Shigure prefers the wildness of his own home. That is, of course, one of the reasons he chose it.

She looks sad sitting by herself, huddled in a sloppy, loose kimono, surrounded by such elegant lines. There is a blank apathy to her gaze as she stares at the roses, eyes far away. She doesn't see him, doesn't react as he pauses just to watch. To admire the casual, broken beauty of her that shines through despite the boyish looks.

He likes her like this. Quiet. Still. Like a pretty doll, just waiting for him to come along and play.

"Shigure."

His and Akito's heads snap up in tandem. His eyes track to Kureno, standing behind Akito, previously hidden in the dim light of her room. Akito's eyes flick to him, away again, back, like she isn't sure she's really seeing him.

The vague look in her eyes worries him until it sharpens.

"Why are you here?" Her voice is just as sharp. Like a knife cutting through butter it reaches right into his soul with a sudden, almost violent pain.

He smiles to alleviate it and looks his Akito in the eyes. He can feel adrenaline pounding through his veins. He wants to drag her away from the protective, irritating shadow of Kureno. Wants to snarl at him. Wants to kiss her. Wants to hurt her. Wants to save her. Wants night to fall on the curse of the Zodiac. Wants to end it all.

"I have something to ask you," he says and he can't help it if his normal smile has turned a little wild. She makes him forget to be the nice Shigure who's always looking after everyone. She makes him forget about anything but her.

If anyone else was standing in front of her like this they would be afraid. So terribly afraid of that look in her eyes. The hurt and the fear and the pain swimming around behind a mask of coping. Shigure isn't. Sure, he quivers under the attention, but that is because his nerves are on fire with the need to just walk over and touch her. Pull her into his arms and claim her as his own.

This is the waiting game. The silence when she's daring you to speak so she can release the terrible anger that lives inside her and break you. Shigure knows, he understands, he feels it too. It pulls at him. He wants to self destruct with her.

He can't think this close to her. He never could.

"Well," he says, his light tone far too forced to sound natural, but he strives for it anyway. "There's this girl." He pauses to watch the finch; the clenching of those milk-white fists. Jealousy. Hurt. Two, maybe three more pushes and she'll attack him. But she can't hurt him however how much she tries, he knows that. She still loves him to much for that; just doesn't know how to tell him, how to ask him to stay. Instead she grasps hold of Kureno and pushes Shigure away.

"Do you need Hatori?" And it is the soft, even tone of Kureno's voice. Doesn't he know he's not wanted in this conversation? Can't he feel it, Shigure and Akito's bond? Shigure has to ignore him or he won't be able to keep up his illusion of control.

Akito tenses. Pushes herself up. "Go," she tells Kureno with all the casual dismissal of a queen.

It takes massive amounts of practice to keep his smile from becoming too wide, too cruel. Luckily it's practice that he has had in spades and its not too difficult for him to handle.

As Kureno leaves he feels the all too familiar tingle in his hands, his legs, his heart; he hasn't been alone with Akito since she kicked him out of the main house. It feels just as good as he remembers.

"This girl..." She trails off, grabs a corner of her kimono, tears at it.

"A... friend of Yuki's, if you can call it friendship. That thing with Hatori and those kids really messed him up, I'm not sure he can have friends now." He shrugs. "But I'm not here to talk about Yuki. She stumbled on Kyo, quite literally actually, so she knows about the curse."

It is interesting watching his Akito struggle for control herself.

"Kyo is at your house?" Lips pressed in a firm line, hands fisting in fabric. Choosing the safer conversation topic.

"Hm, only last night. He came in unannounced and broke my roof. Kids these days."

"He... he was in the mountains."

"Training, yes I know. He's finished, I assume, though he still can't beat Yuki."

"That's because he's the cat."

"I think it's more because he's an idiot and Yuki's some kind of child prodigy." He has thought about this a lot and its the only real explanation. They have all had basic training but Yuki is the only one who expended so little effort on being brilliant. Shigure had just given up. It might be a family thing, since Ayame is also a pretty nifty fighter in a pinch, but it's still odd.

Akito is quiet, picking at a loose thread with deft fingers. How anyone can believe she's male with those hands Shigure will never know.

"I'm not here to talk about Kyo," he says softly.

"Hatori can erase her memories," Akito says. "That's what you want isn't it?"

"Actually," he pauses while he pads over to sit quietly at Akito's side. "I wanted to ask you if she can stay. With me and Yuki the house does tend to get a little messy, you know how I get when I'm writing." He goes for levity and is rewarded with the tiniest smile.

"You're terrible when you're writing."

The fact that she thinks his books are terrible too doesn't bother him, what does is the way that the birds are flocking around them now Kureno is gone. Most of the Zodiac attract their signature animals, but birds avoid Kureno. That alone is enough to make Shigure suspicious, without factoring in Akito's sudden desperate interest. He wants to ask, but asking Akito if the curse is breaking might be several steps too far on the road to hell.

"I am," he says, trying to ignore the soft chattering of the birds a they preen right in front of him. "So I am in need of a cleaner and this friend of Yuki's - she's called Tohru by the way - she needs somewhere to live. I think it's win win but I needed to run it past you first."

"She's seen Kyo change."

"With his bracelet on." Shigure says, nodding. "She's also seen me and Yuki since... things happened." He can see she's going to kick off if he doesn't explain. It's too early for that to happen, he hasn't had nearly enough time with her recently. "You remember I said Kyo broke the roof? A piece of wood wacked her on the head and she fainted right into us."

Akito stays silent, which is a pretty good reaction at this point.

"She reacted... fine. You'd like her." That was possibly the biggest lie he'd ever uttered in Akito's presence, and there has been a lot of them. "She was floundering, thought it was all her fault, but then I explained and she took it really well. Don't look at me like that, you can always make Hatori erase her memories if you don't like it."

"You don't want me to."

"I want you to give her a chance. She would be good for Yuki, Kyo too. It might make them a little more... happy. They'd probably come around more often if they were influenced by her, she's big on family."

There is silence for almost a full minute while Akito stares at her feet, hands clenched in the fabric of her kimono, white knuckled and shaking.

"You just want another whore like my mother to warm your bed."

And this is where the conversation sours.

Shigure laughs. Chuckles really, it's barely happy enough to be a real laugh. "She's a little young for me I'm afraid."

Dubious eyes shoot towards him, slamming him with a look so intense he reels from it.

"Well. She's not my type, at least." He smiles at her. "You should come and meet her, she's really quite entertaining. Like a puppy."

Something eases in Akito's expression, like Shigure hasn't just said he feels paternal towards Tohru, or anything even remotely equivalent to that. One day the world is going to strike him down for his lies.

That day is not today. Akito is nodding. Little doll head bobbing up and down, even as she grips onto her knees, chin pressing into them as if it offers her some comfort. "It's fine," and her voice trembles like she's close to crying.

"I really mean it you know. I'm not interested in her, but I think it would be good for the kids to have some kind of friend who actually knows about the curse."

He holds up a hand to stop her from speaking. "And isn't part of the family."

"So you want Kyo to live at your house too?"

"Well, want might be a bit strong, but it makes sense seeing as I'm so close to the school. He won't go to that all boys school again, not with Yuki living the co-ed life up."

"I know," it's hissed through gritted teeth.

"He will protest he doesn't want to be in the same school as Yuki but... he probably doesn't hate him, deep down." Shigure is pretty sure on that, is more likely to be some kind of misguided self-hatred going on on both sides.

"She can keep her memories if she can keep her mouth shut." It's an abrupt change of subject, but Shigure is used to that with Akito. It means she's come to a decision.

"I'm fairly certain she will. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't."

"It..." something has softened again, even though Akito's struggling with what to say. "Let's trust this Tohru. It might be good for Yuki, Kyo and me, as you say."

Sometimes Shigure forgets just how much she wants, needs to be loved by them. All of them. There is the jealously again, burning deep. He shouldn't forget, Kureno is enough of a reminder.

But Akito laughs, it might be because of the little bird whoring itself out on her hand. "But Yuki is sharp. Be careful, he'll think you're up to something."

"And he'll be right." The temptation to lean over and kiss her is overwhelming. Soon he'll have her all to himself and then they can sit and have casual conversations every day. Shigure will never tire of it. Even if they have to sit surrounded by the irritating birds Akito loves so much.

She looks at him like she knows and like she doesn't all in one. Maybe it's just because she wants it too, this normalcy between them. It's always been like this, if only she'd see it.

"I need to go," he says because if he doesn't he will never leave.

"Shigure..."

He looks at her without expecting her to continue. Some people might say 'I love you' here and maybe it would have fixed everything, but Akito doesn't know what love is and Shigure can't teach her that. He isn't sure he knows what love is either. This burning, twisting thing inside him doesn't seem like the fluffy, cute thing he always talks about in his books.

He says it anyway. "I love you." He doesn't know why. It just slips out. It's the wrong thing to do, he knows even as he says it.

"Just _leave_."

Because she doesn't believe him, not after what he's done.

He steps just out of reach because if she touches him... he can't handle that. But she's folding in on herself, wrapping her arms around her torso like it physically hurts. Like she has to hold herself together to stop from falling apart. Shigure can relate. It feels like he's falling apart a Goddamn lot too.

He passes Kureno on his way out and he knows he will be the one to take her in his arms instead. To hold her as she screams. It burns like acid even as he pastes his normal bland smile back onto his face.

He had forgotten how much hurting _hurt_.

* * *

Sorry for the wait. I've been extremely busy and somewhat lucky to be alive, haha. I'll try to reply to reviews and PM's soon.

As usual this is written and uploaded from my kindle, but unlike usual I haven't proof read this so please point out any errors!

Let me know what you think. :)


	6. Chapter 6

The suit is mildly uncomfortable and expensive decadence though it is Shigure can't help but feel somewhat trapped inside it. No wonder Hatori always looks so stern, there's something so rigid about dressing like this.

Kyo huffs beside him, "I don't see why I have to come with you."

"I thought I'd take the opportunity to get some new clothes for you, you didn't bring anything with you. If you didn't want to get dragged around you should have thought ahead." He's rehearsed this in his head. It no longer sounds as ridiculous as it once had, tricking Kyo to take the entrance test for Yuki's school by forcing him to run errands. It's barely seven o'clock and he had dragged Kyo out of bed almost an hour ago.

Kyo growls and stomps off ahead. "Just get a freaking move on already."

A chuckle escapes before Shigure can stop it. Kyo is so brash.

Two clothes stores, a grocery shop, a trip to his editor's office and one café later Shigure decides Kyo should be bored out of his mind enough to completely miss the fact that he's walking into a school. He's right. Kyo is only just starting to catch on when they reach the entrance desk and the receptionist looks up with a smile.

"Hello, Sir, " she says to Shigure, "what can I do for you?" She radiates cool, professional politeness; Shigure smiles at her in response.

"I'm here with Kyo Sohma," he tells her and if his smile is a little flirtatious what can he do? It's second nature. "He should be pencilled in to take the entrance test at one-thirty."

"Wha-" Shigure pokes Kyo hard before he can cause a scene. He gets a dirty look and is treated to silence as Kyo rubs his side.

"Ah," the receptionist is looking at the screen in front of her, clicking a few buttons. "Yes, I can see him there." She looks up again and her smile lights up by a few watts; Shigure is almost blinded by a row of perfectly white teeth. "Head down to room 4-b," she tells Kyo. "There should be a moderator waiting for you." To Shigure she asks, "would you like a coffee while you wait?"

"Go on," Shigure tells Kyo with a shit-eating grin. He can't help it, this is going exactly as he planned and he feels brilliant. "I'll wait here."

Once Kyo leaves, his feathers well and truly ruffled, Shigure turns to the receptionist. "I'll take you up on that coffee, if you don't mind." He turns on the charm bright enough to compete with her dazzling 'service' smile. They are evenly matched in that regard and he spends the hour chatting comfortably with Morika Tazumi, the girl from Okinawa that grew up wanting to be a film star. He gets the long version of how she ended up where she is now, complete with the sob-story of a broken heart and her shattering realisation that she needed to start living in the real world.

He decides her story is far too boring to ever make a good novel so he tunes the second half of it out and instead creates his own version. Anything of use he tucks away into that always-active part of his brain that houses his inner author. Once he gets home he will flesh the idea out, give it substance and shape. Let the idea run away with him for a while and see where it takes him. For now he smiles at her and makes her believe he's invested in her tale.

At the end of the hour she's leaning against the counter in a way that pushes her breasts up in a wanton display. It is entirely inappropriate for the location and Shigure is not sure she is even aware she's doing it but it's high time he legged it out of the building. She is starting to bore him to tears and that is with him not listening. He didn't sign up for her life story, however much he led her on. Clingy, he decides. It's likely why relationships have never worked out for her.

Kyo comes back just as he's contemplating leaving without him and the cat is angry enough that Shigure can get away with beating a hasty retreat while still managing to make it look reluctant.

"Sleazy bastard," Kyo says to him, but it doesn't matter what Kyo thinks.

"How did it go?" He asks and gets a glare in response.

"I passed."

Shigure smirks. Operation 'get Kyo into Yuki and Tohru's school' complete. Shigure 3,765; World 54. Not that he keeps count of every time he's awesome or anything.

* * *

Short chapter, sorry, sorry, sorry. I needed to update so I stole an hour of my life back. Unfortunately I also need to sleep.

Was this okay? I have a completely ugh feeling about it.


	7. Chapter 7

Quick note: I bought a keyboard for my kindle, but the speechmarks come up as an at sign (so does the actual at sign). I'm sure I can sort it, but I don't have time, so formatting has changed slightly for this chapter. My kindle also won't spellcheck when using the keyboard... I have looked through but I apologise if there are any errors I have missed.

* * *

Accounts. No matter how old he gets he will always hate them. They suck the fun out of living alone. Before he left the Sohma household Shigure had never seen a bill, bar those you get from cafes and shops, so his first few months of living in the real world turned out to be a badly needed lesson. Hatori had almost laughed at him. It was a humilating time, not knowing what to do.

Still, he had worked it out and now it was just another boring but necesary job at the end of each month. At least his books sold well, even without the money he received from the Sohma house it wasn't like paying his bills would be a difficult task. He was a best seller all over Japan with two different pseudonyms.

Outside it was sunny, so today he had set himself up by the open door, his papers neatly arranged on his desk. He should be writing his next book, he had several ideas, but that could wait until all his money was in order again.

It would come as a surprise, he mused, for anyone to realise just how diligently he kept his records. Once they saw the state of his house (before Tohru had come along anyway) they had just assumed he would be that lax about everything. He was not.

Pages rustle as he turns them and his pen scratches against the paper softly. He is in his own little world, humming away under his breath when Kyo comes crashing in.

It is not altogther surprising so he continues what he is doing as the cat slumps down to the ground, a sulky look on his face. Shigure can tell even though Kyo is turned away from him.

`So,' he says to break the silence, `first day of transfer and you're already skipping class?' He takes a wild guess... `Lost to Yuki again?'

There is a pause, a gloomy thing that hangs in the air, before Kyo speaks. `I want to leave this place.'

`After only three days?' Shigure knows Kyo doesn't have much staying power, but this is just ridiculous. There has to be some way to get him to put some effort in. Akito won't like it if he gives up just like that.

If there is anything Kyo does give his all it is training. Shigure turns a page, he doesn't want to spend any longer than he needs to on these bloody accounts. He can multitask. `Think of this as training,' it's a good ploy, he thinks, it will make Kyo more detirmined. `Learn to endure it.'

Another pause, another gloomy silence. `I always say to her... the wrong thing.'

`Her...' Shigure's mind shoots straight to Akito and the mess he has made with that particular relationship. He can sympathise, he supposes. `You mean Tohru?' Who else could he mean? Here Shigure was thinking Yuki was the one going to be head over heels, meanwhile the little rat was showing no signs and Kyo was the one pining. This is a development and a half, though maybe not a bad one on the whole `breaking the curse' front. He laughs. `As usual you yelled at her? If you know you'll regret it afterwards, don't do it. You're hopeless.' He should probably take his own advice here, though to be fair Ren is the spliting image of what Akito would be if she had been brought up female.

If he told Akito that it might manage to make things worse, at least she is still speaking to him, currently.

`It's impossible,' Shigure doesn't think Kyo's voice can become any more glum. `I am not suited to living with other people.'

Shigure frowns at his accounts. Kyo isn't isn't a charmer like himself, but he isn't as bad as he perhaps thinks he is. `Although there are people like that, you are purely lacking experience,' he tells his cousin firmly. Maybe he needs some pep talking to cheer him up a little. That might work.

`For example, you can chop the table in half with one hit. You can also stop your fist. That's because you can control the strength of your punch, right?' Shigure congratulates himself on putting this in a way Kyo will understand. `This is a result of your training in the mountains, fighting with bears.'

`I didn't fight with bears!' The glare he receives is typical Kyo and that is reassuring. He's on the right track. Of course he is, he's brilliant.

`Dealing with people is the same,' he continues, there was a point to this after all. `The only difference is that this training is not in the mountains, but in the city. In dealing with people sometimes you hurt others, or get hurt yourself. If you don't learn from other people, in principle, you will never become an understanding person.' He thinks he is being a very good adult rigt now, wait until Ayame and Hatori hear about this, they won't believe him.

`You may be a black belt in martial arts, but in dealing with people you are still a white belt. For the sake of someday, someone who will love you, you must not run away now. You have to continue your training.'

Kyo snorts. `There are people like that?'

The laugh bubbles out of Shigure, if there is someone who can love him then there will definitely be someone who can love Kyo, whether it's his little crush, Tohru, or not. `What will you do if there is?'

`Hard to imagine... I might ask her `are you crazy?''

`Really?' He is about to say more, to solidify Kyo's improved mood, but Yuki ruins the moment.

`I'm home,' he says to the room in general.

Shigure inwardily sighs as Kyo immediately bristles, sitting up. Still, it isn't Yuki's fault...

`Welcome back! Where's Tohru?'

`She went to her part time job. She said dinner just needs to be reheated. She won't be back until around eleven, so I was planning to walk her home.'

Shigure can't help it, he knows Kyo is listening with rapt attention... `Ah, you had better, there are some real perverts around here.'

He snickers to himself as they leave the room.

* * *

I wrote this at work... that's turning into a thing for me.

Forrestwater: I see what you mean about the semicolons... I will go back and edit next time I'm on my computer, thanks. :) (And also thank you to all my other reviewers, it really is lovely to get so much support!)

Any requests for what you want to see Shigure doing while the kids are at school? I have plenty of ideas but more can't hurt!


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